Envelop-seal.



J. M. FLOTT'MAN,

ENVELOP SEAL. APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. 1911.

Q0 1 Q0 1 9 1 R a M d 6 Lb H w a P INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY JOHN IVI.FLOTTIJTAN, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

ENVELOP-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 191.8.

Application filed August 1, 1917. Serial No. 183,927.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. FLo'r'rMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State of Montana, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Seals, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to sealing devices especially adapted to be usedon envelops or similar containers and it consists in the novel featureshereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the present invention is to provide novel means for sealingan envelop or other container, without the assistance of glue, paste orother adhesive, and whereby the envelop or container cannot be openedwithout detection.

It, is also the object of the present inven tion to provide a simple andinexpensive closure which will not encumber the envelop or container,and which will permit the container to be readily sealed or closed, in apositive, reliable and efiicient manner.

With the above object in view the invention consists in providing uponthe flap of the envelop a tongue adapted to be tucked through a slotprovided at the back of the envelop, the said back of the envelop andthe tongue having unique interengaging means for locking the tongue andflap against withdrawal with relation to the back of the envelop. Theparts of the seal are so arranged that they may be conveniently used atthe end of the envelop or in the vicinity of the lower edge thereof andtwo or more sealing devices may be employed if desired.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a plan view of an envelopshowing the sealing device applied.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the envelop showing the flap in an openposition.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the envelop cut on the line 3-3of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a plan view of a frame used on the envelop.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of hooks used on the envelop.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the envelop 1 is providedwith the usual sealing flap 2. The said flap is provided at its freeedge with a tongue 3 and a frame 4 is applied to the inner surface ofthe said tongue. The said frame is preferably formed from card board,bristol board or similar relatively heavy and thick paper, and the innersurface of the frame 4 is covered by a relatively thin strip of paper 5.The frame a is provided with a slot 6 which leads into the said framefrom the lower end thereof and which is provided with converging sidewalls or edges 7. The frame a is provided at the upper end of the slotwith laterally disposed recesses 8, the lower walls or edges of whichconstitute shoulders 9.

The back of the envelop 1 is provided with a slot 10 and the shanks ofhooks 11 are secured to the inner surface of the back of the envelop andbeyond the ends of the slot 10. The inner portions of the hooks 11 passthrough the slot 10 and the bills of the hooks are located beyond theouter surface of the back of the envelop and are disposed in oppositedirections.

When it is desired to seal an envelop the flap 2 is folded down and thetongue 3 is passed through the slot 10. At the same time the free endsof the hooks 11 pass between the tongue 3 and the strip 5 and betweenthe converging edges or walls 7 of the slot 6. When the bills of thehooks arrive opposite the recesses 8, they spring into the said recessesand catch over the shoulders 9 whereby the flap is securely locked andheld in a closed position with relation to the body of the envelop. Inorder to open the envelop it is necessary to mutilate or tear some ofthe parts in order to sever the flap from the body of the envelop or todisconnect the hooks from the frame.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, it will be seen that an envelop closure of simpleand durable structure is provided and that the same when applied andlocked will hold the parts in inter-engagement with each other in theabsence of an adhesive and that the contents of the envelop cannot beremoved from the same without tearing or mutilation.

Having described the invention what is I slot, the said hooks beingextended through the slot and having bill ends located beyond the outersurface of the back and disposed in opposite directions, the bill endportions of the hooks being disposed at angles to the shank portionsthereof, the flap of the envelop being provided With a tongue, and aframe carried by the tongue and having a slot, adapted to receive thebill ends of the hooks, the said frame being provided at its 19 upperportion With recesses and shoulders located below the said recesses.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature. JOHN M. FLOTTMAN,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, I). 0.

